Lene Kemp can see the future. She has wonderful boyfriend who loves her and together, they're an unbelievably happy couple. The only problem is…it hasn't happened yet. And Callum Thorn can be very uncooperative.

Lene Kemp can see the future. She has wonderful boyfriend who loves her and together, they're an unbelievably happy couple. The only problem is…it hasn't happened yet.

I've never known a girl like you beforeNow just like in a song from days of yoreHere you come a knockin', knockin' at my doorAnd I've never met a girl like you before

A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins

Chapter One - A Knock on the Door

Callum Thorn,

Today is the day. It is Thursday, January eighth 2009, and precisely 4:04 pm according to your watch (go ahead and check it. I dare you to). In two minutes – start counting now – you will hear a knock at the door. You're going to feel extremely surprised when that actually happens, because at the moment you're thinking this is another one of your brothers' usual pranks, so you're going to hear another two knocks to snap you out of your shock. When you hear that third knock, you're going to walk slowly – although if you could prove me wrong on this account, and walk rather quickly to the front door, that would be great because it's going to be really cold out today and if you could not dilly-dally so much in making your way to the door, I would appreciate that a lot. Anyways, when you open the door, you're going to be more shocked than ever, trust me. Because one of the last people you'd ever expect to be knocking on your door – that is, me – is , well, going to be standing on your welcome mat.

Okay, 20 seconds left. What I have left to say is pretty vital and if you heed this advice, it would be really great for me. Although I know you won't – but again, please feel free to prove me wrong. Frankly, I'm going to tell you some absolutely batshit crazy things, but you have to believe me. Now I know you're not going to finish reading this sentence before I knock, and not having read this will hopefully come in handy later, but I want you to know, as if to prove some things that –

Knock knock.

"No fucking way…" Callum Thorn muttered. It must be his brothers. Must be. One of them must have been watching him from his window or keyhole while timing him while the other waited outside to ring the doorbell. But how'd they even guess the time he'd find it at? Jeez, they were stepping up their game.

Knock knock.

Was he really so predictable that they'd know exactly how he'd act? And how was he supposed to get them back for this one? It was preposterously good. There's no way he'd be able to pull off anything better, because frankly, he didn't have anything this creative in store. The accurateness of it all made him shiver.

Knock knock.

"I'm coming!" he shouted, snapping out of his reverie. Without his noticing, the letter slipped out of his fingers as he made his way out of his room, down the stairs and to the front door. He took a deep breath, suddenly nervous, even though he fully expected to see one of his brothers, Will or Tuck, on the other side once he opened the door.

It was as though the door was moving in slow motion, he couldn't seem to get the damn thing open quick enough. The first thing he saw were a pair of black winter boots, then some dark wash jeans, a pair of blue mittens, a grey button up jacket, a white scarf and then a pair of enticing brown eyes.

"Huh…" was all Callum, usually rather eloquent however here clearly lost for words, let out.

The letter was right. One of the last people he'd ever expect on his doorstep was there! On his doorstep! She was awkwardly shuffling her right foot through the thin layer of snow on the "Welcome!" mat on the Thorn's front porch, clearly waiting for him to say something.

But he couldn't. Because the only thing he was able to run through his mind was, why the hell was that chick from his history class, whose name Callum didn't even know, was standing on his front porch?

Did they have a project or something?

"No, we don't have a project due, no worries," she said calmly.

"What?" he snapped. This was all getting really, really freaky. Now she was…He hesitated to think it. Was she…reading his mind?

"I said, we don't have a project due, no worries. It's what you were going to ask me, I know. I'm just saying it before you do, because I'd really like to get to the part where you invite me in a lot faster."

"Well, aren't you demanding," he snarled. "Might I remind you that this is my house. I'm not exactly interested in letting anyone touch these marble floors, you know. Especially when I know they'd be sullied by the feet of paupers."

"Seriously? The wealth card? You're actually going to play that?" she said incredulously. "I had thought you were above that, though clearly I was wrong." Although she shook her head somberly, she showed no signs of moving.

"Well, I'm certainly above you. Which means I'm also above your expectations of me," he said and walked away from the door and further into the all white, all marble foyer, leaving the door open behind him. "Well, for fuck's sake, get in here."

Rolling her eyes, she hastily stepped into the house, no hesitation or reserve despite Callum's cold demeanor towards her. She kicked off her boots and placed them to the side of the door and followed Callum to the kitchen.

"Is there any reason why you're here…what's your name again?" He sat down lazily at the table at the far end of the room and smirked, proud that he'd regained the upper hand after his embarrassing fumbles early on. Callum's grin widened as he watched the annoyance flicker across her face, irritation deeply etched in her features. Good, he thought, he was getting her. Role reversal in his favour.

"You concern yourself with knowing about my financial status but can't be bothered with my name? I can't believe you!" she said, clearly exasperated with his behaviour.

"You're beneath me. Once I knew that, I didn't care to know anything more," he drawled and waved his hand, signaling that the matter meant little to him. "Just answer the question. Name. Now."

She rolled her deep mahogany eyes, but relaxed her defensive stance, choosing rather to choose the simple road. "Lene Kemp. If you had finished reading my letter, you would've seen that I'd signed at the bottom." She made her way to sit across from him at the table. As she shifted to a more comfortable position in her seat, she murmured something so softly and delicately that Callum had to stop breathing to block out any noise so that he could hear her. "That's so typical of you…"

So typical of me? Callum could swear that was what he heard. Although he was obviously mistaken. They'd never spoke before this. It was impossible that she'd think anything to be "typical" of him, considering that they didn't know each other at all.

"Anyways," Lene started, pulling him out of his thoughts. He seemed to be consumed with them a lot today, he was noticing, and it was starting to bother him. "I'm assuming you did get my letter, am I right?"

"That was from you?" Callum asked incredulously.

"Please, you know it was. Who else would it be from? I clearly stated that it would be me knocking at the door, me talking to you, etcetera, etcetera. Besides, as I just said, if you weren't such a slow reader, you would have finished reading it and seen my name at the bottom of the page." She was so matter of fact. Callum still regarded her with wide eyes and a befuddled expression, not comprehending.

"But…how? What?" He shook his head, trying to clear away the confusion.

"Listen, I promise that I will explain everything. You just need to promise me that you won't judge me for what I have to tell you. I know it's going to sound positively crazy and I know that you're going to react badly to it, but I'm compelled to tell you this. Prove me wrong, Cal, prove me wrong and accept all of this." She spoke gently, almost intimately, as though they hadn't just been exchanging verbal blows only seconds ago.

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about anymore. And just tell me honestly, and I promise I won't judge you for it because of course, we've all been there and done that before, but…are you on drugs?" It was the only rational explanation he could think of.

Lene burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh, when this is all over Callum Thorn, you are going to wish it was as simple as that!"

Although Callum would never admit it, he was, if only a little, frightened of the petite girl in front of him. He had no reply to her comment, and sat back awkwardly in his chair, waiting for Lene to stop laughing at her little personal joke. When was she going to let him in on it?

Finally, her laughter subsided to a small chuckle, and then, it stopped.

Lene, regaining composure, closed her eyes, her long lashes fluttering in nervousness - or was it excitement, Callum wondered - and she took a deep breath. Finally, after breathing in heavily once more, she opened her eyes, and Callum noticed a warmth and calm within the chocolate pools which hadn't been there before.

"Alright. Well here we go," Lene started and took one more breath. "Callum Thorn," she paused, and Callum again was unable to discern whether it was through nervousness or simply for dramatic effect, to put him off. "I'm in love with you."

And that's when the chair broke.

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